Apple touted the fit, finish, and technical wizardry required to produce the iPhone 5. Apparently that wasn't just marketing fluff. According to an unnamed Foxconn exec who spoke to the Wall Street Journal, it really is a pain in the ass to manufacture.

"The iPhone 5 is the most difficult device that Foxconn 2038.HK -0.68% has ever assembled. To make it light and thin, the design is very complicated," said an official at the company who declined to be named. "It takes time to learn how to make this new device. Practice makes perfect. Our productivity has been improving day by day."

The exec went on to acknowledge that the iPhone 5 is more susceptible to scratching due to a new coating material, but says that the factory is becoming better and faster at cranking units out. Hopefully that isn't coming at the cost of those employee's collective sanity. [WSJ via TNW]